Tech/Magitek in Everyday Life

[Aukki]

Hey everyone~

 

I'm looking into writing a story for my character currently, and found myself wondering about the accessibility of tech and/or magitek for ordinary people.

 

I guess my first question is where the line is (if one exists) between "normal" technology and magitek, and following that up with how accessible it is for everyday use.

 

The specific example I had in mind was a simple database-style computer, nothing terribly fancy or complicated either, almost like a searchable word document. This would be used in a library type setting, for not much else than quality of life. 

 

Thank you for your time~

[Kieron Lohengrin]

Most common magitek is not freely available to poorer smallfolk outside of Garlemald. On the other hand, elemental crystals are often in everyday use for things like lighting, crafting, keeping food unspoiled, keeping clothing temperature comfortable, and so on.

 

Keep in mind that the setting is currently in the midst of a sea change, with Garlond Ironworks committed to making magitek more available to commoners to uplift them, while Rowena and her House of Splendors pursue it for a profit motive. The first adopters to benefit thus far have been adventurers, and likely richer noble houses / families, with the tomephone and the Regalia car being a prime example. Rowena has even explicitly stated ingame her intent to mass-produce anima weaponry, further bringing in another arms dealer angle.

Over time, this tech derived from Allagan / Garlean reverse-engineering from all the gathered tomestones could shift the setting into more of an FF13 sci-fi bent, but most places and smaller villages will likely remain medieval-level for another decade or so. Individual adventurers and smaller companies, though? They would definitely be focused on cutting-edge tech for competitive advantage.

[Sounsyy]

6 hours ago, Aukki said:

I'm looking into writing a story for my character currently, and found myself wondering about the accessibility of tech and/or magitek for ordinary people.

 

I guess my first question is where the line is (if one exists) between "normal" technology and magitek, and following that up with how accessible it is for everyday use.

 

The specific example I had in mind was a simple database-style computer, nothing terribly fancy or complicated either, almost like a searchable word document. This would be used in a library type setting, for not much else than quality of life. 

 

Assuming your character is from/in Eorzea, "normal" tech would be Clockwork. This is the type of basic technology that's commonly used and available throughout Eorzea for the past couple centuries. It's simple gears and cogs (think steampunk) that are fueled by aether, usually from an aetherial core or "heart". The most commonly seen variety of clockwork tech in game are the Mammets and minion dolls, but a lot of the lifts, elevators, and mechanical tech that you see out in the regional areas of Eorzea all fall under the Clockwork umbrella (though they are slowly being modified with magitek technology thanks to the Ironworks). 

 

Magitek is a Garlean brand. It was invented about 70 years ago by redesigning the Steam Engine to use Ceruleum fuel. This sparked a technological revolution, first in Garlemald, and then spread across the world as the Empire invaded neighboring continents. Once the Empire uncovered Allagan ruins in the Far East, they reverse engineered ancient Allagan technology to greatly improve their own technological capabilities. This is most evident in their airship technology. What we know of Magitek is that it uses Ceruleum as a fuel source and its smaller "electronic" components transmit lightning-aspected aether (electricity).

 

Magitek first came to Eorzea in 1562 (15 years ago), when Cid nan Garlond defected from the Empire along with several of his Imperial engineers. His organization, the Garlond Ironworks, partnered with the city-states to introduce Magitek technology to give Eorzeans a fighting chance against the mechanical might of the Empire. As getting one's hands on Magitek is costly and only produced by the Ironworks (or stolen off Imperial units) and the only source of ceruleum fuel in Eorzea is tightly controlled by Amajina & Sons Mineral Concern in Ul'dah, the advancements in technology in Eorzea have come gradually. Most common are Eorzean airships, which are now run by Magitek. Magitek engines have also found their way on a few newer Lominsan vessels, Magitek minecarts in Ul'dah, as well as several elevator upgrades. 

 

Like Kieron mentioned above, however, as an adventurer or Free Company there are avenues open to getting one's hands on Magitek technology that aren't as widely available to the rest of the populace. This does assume your character is an adventurer, or with a Free Company that has some standing with the Ironworks, Rowena's House of Splendors, or similar faction.

 

 

As far as computer / database tech goes, you can take either route. Allag had a variety of computers, database tomestones, etc that were seemingly reverse engineered by the Garlean Empire. Garlemald's airships seem to be operated by computer screens. While we've not seen Eorzean Clockwork have computers, we do know from the PVP maps that clockwork mammets have the capacity for databases, and data extraction and transcription from ancient Allagan tomestones. So it really comes down to preference, and what level of technology you think your character is most likely to have access to. 

 

Hope this helps!

Edited May 14, 2019 by Sounsyy